ALAN DORNAK

In addition to a successful international performing career, Alan has been a sought-after vocal pedagogue, both Stateside and in Europe, for over twenty years. He has consistently pursued both careers simultaneously and with equal passion, bringing his knowledge of the stage into the studio. Alan is currently on the faculties of Wagner College NYC and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy NYC (AMDA). Before founding, his own summer program, Orfeo Vocal Arts Academy, in 2015, Alan served on the teaching rosters of several top European summer training programs, including Musica Coeli (Graz, Austria), Festa Lirica Italiana (Ischia, Italy), and the renowned American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) (Graz, Austria). In the US, he has been a frequent guest lecturer at New York’s Columbia University and Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

His students have graced the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Comunale di Bologna and Modena, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, as well as Broadway, National and International Tours.

In Germany and throughout Europe and South America, Alan has sung leading opera roles as a tenor and countertenor, and in 2006 joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera. In 2010, he co-founded the critically-acclaimed ensemble Opera Feroce with whom he performs as both countertenor and baritone. Opera Feroce’s mission is to develop entertaining and accessible conceptualized performances of obscure works and lesser-known composers primarily of the Baroque era.

In founding his own summer program, the Orfeo Vocal Arts Academy (OVAA), Alan chose the magnificent city of Dresden, Germany as the program’s home. Alan was a resident of the Saxon capitol for most of his time in Germany, pursuing multiple degrees at the Conservatory and launching his European performing career. He continues to enjoy a tight-knit relationship with many of his long-standing German colleagues, many of whom are now valued OVAA collaborators. Alan is proud to call Dresden his second home and is passionate about sharing its rich cultural heritage with every new group of students. In return, OVAA has been embraced by the people of Dresden, and each summer sees a growing amount of enthusiasm and support.

Teaching Philosophy

In a career spanning more than twenty-five years of teaching across genres, ages and experience levels, I have cultivated a highly adaptive, flexible and intuitive “student-centric” teaching style where each singer is viewed through an entirely unique lens, and each lesson is tailored to meet the constantly changing needs of the evolving artist.

I am primarily anatomy and physiology-based and call upon a wide variety of concepts and methods, as needed, depending on the developmental process of each individual. My emphasis is on registration, resonance, articulation, posture and alignment, active support, and the release of excess tension. The goal, whether it be traditional classical singing, early music, musical theater or pop/rock, is to achieve the most efficient production of the specific tonal ideals related to the particular musical genre and selection.

I seek to instill in my students a comprehensive knowledge of the mechanics of the vocal apparatus, in addition to giving them a vested interest in their personal aural concept and respective artistic expression. Tailoring exercises to the individual’s unique issues, I encourage students to be self-aware and hands-on in their own developmental process. It is my feeling that this sense of curiosity and personal responsibility carries over from studio to professional life, assuring that the singer has the tools to maintain optimum vocal health in even the most demanding arenas.